Breakdown of Meddelelsen hænger på døren i rummet.
i
in
på
on
rummet
the room
døren
the door
hænge
to hang
meddelelsen
the message
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Questions & Answers about Meddelelsen hænger på døren i rummet.
Why does the sentence use i rummet (in the room) instead of something like i et rum (in a room)?
Danish uses the definite form rummet to refer to a specific room. If we said i et rum, we'd be talking about 'in a room' in general, rather than 'in the room' we're already talking about or can see.
What function does hænger have here?
Hænger is the present tense of the verb at hænge, meaning to hang. In this context, it describes the current state or position of the message—it's hanging on the door. It's similar to saying The message is hanging on the door in English.
Why do we say på døren (on the door) instead of ved døren (by the door)?
På døren implies direct attachment to the door—like a note taped onto it. Ved døren would mean the message is somewhere near or next to the door, not necessarily on it.
Why are both døren and rummet in the definite form?
Danish marks noun definiteness by adding an ending (e.g., -en, -et). Døren means the door, and rummet means the room. They’re definite because we assume or already know which door and which room we're referring to.
Could we say Meddelelsen er på døren i rummet instead?
Yes, you could say Meddelelsen er på døren to mean The message is on the door. However, hænger emphasizes that it’s hanging there, which is more specific about how it’s placed. Both are grammatically correct, but they provide slightly different nuances.